Hero in the Strife Part 2
by solojones
Summary: John Carter's story continues into Junior High. Love, Friends, Birhtdays, Perms. CHAPTER 4 UP! This part is now complete!
1. Chapter 1

Title: Hero in the Strife- Part 2  
  
Author: Noerf  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Description: Love, Family, Birthdays, and Perms. John Carter's life story continues into Junior High.  
  
Disclaimer: I've waiting by the phone many an afternoon, and Jack Orman has yet to call and sign me onto the writing crew. So Carter and any other characters from the show do not belong to me. This is just for fun and entertainment; it's not making any money. But I'll be the first one to let you know when I get that call.  
  
Archive: Please do! You don't have to ask, but tell me sometime when you get around to it so that I know where my story is.  
  
Thanks: Steph for your Beta help! Charisse for your beta help- even though you hate Carter, he loves you. All the Carbies over at fanforum. Also everyone who reviewed or sent me a comment, you have kept this story alive! Thanks for the support. And number one as always, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I hope you all continue to enjoy the story.  
  
   
  
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May 1983...  
  
   
  
John Carter ran his hands through his wavy hair. His palms were sweaty, and he was trying to keep his hands from shaking too much. He was nervous. Very nervous. Standing in the crowded hallway was starting to make him claustrophobic, too. He was frozen in place.  
  
   
  
"John, are you just going to stand there or are you going to ask her?" he thought he heard a voice say. He wasn't quite sure. He was feeling kind of nauseous.... "John? Hello?" the voice continued.  
  
   
  
John snapped his head around to face the source of the voice. He blinked, and then shook his head slightly. "Huh?" he asked.  
  
   
  
The boy next to him rolled his eyes and repeated, "I said are you going to ask her? Jenny Butler? Are you going to ask her to your party? Are you ok?" He laughed, "You look kinda sick."  
  
   
  
John wiped the sweat off his forehead. "I'm fine, Chase. I was just thinking, that's all," he said. His cousin shook his head and laughed. John clenched his jaw. "I'm going to ask her. I will. I am," he said. He hesitantly turned his attention down the hall, and focused it on his goal. Jenny Butler- tall, blonde, smart, funny, beautiful. And for some reason beyond John's comprehension, his friend. He shuffled slowly down the hallway.  
  
   
  
Chase Carter whispered in his ear, "Come on man, and just get it over with. She already knows you have a crush on her!"  
  
   
  
"I do not!" John said. Jenny heard him, and turned from the conversation that she was having with her friend Nancy to see John. Alarm bells sounded in John's head. His flight instinct kicked in, and he tried to take a few steps backwards, but Chase was there to block him. Jenny was smiling at him, and his head was spinning. It was now or never.  
  
   
  
"Hi Jenny," John managed to get out.  
  
   
  
"Hey John," she replied. When he didn't say anything after a moment, she added, "So, um, what's up?"  
  
   
  
"Nothing much."  
  
   
  
"That's cool," Jenny replied. "Your hair is getting sort of straight," she said.  
  
   
  
"Yeah, I'm kinda glad," John said, self-consciously running his fingers through his dark hair.  
  
   
  
"Why? I like it curly. It's stylish," Jenny said.  
  
   
  
John was beaming. "Yeah, I mean sometimes it gets annoying but I was definitely thinking of getting it done again," he said.  
  
   
  
"Cool," Jenny said, grinning.  
  
   
  
Both Jenny and John shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. Chase and Nancy exchanged a look, and both rolled their eyes. Their friends could be so childish sometimes.  
  
   
  
"He wants to ask you something," Nancy said.  
  
   
  
Jenny looked at John. "What did you want to ask me?"  
  
   
  
John just shook his head. "Uh, nothing, I mean, I just-"  
  
   
  
"He wants to invite you to his birthday party," Chase said.  
  
   
  
John's cheeks turned bright crimson. "Well, you and Nancy, and um Brianna," he said quickly. "Chase is coming and so is Lance. But if you don't want to come, it's ok." He was completely out of breath, and totally mortified by the time he was finished.  
  
   
  
Jenny smiled. "I'd love to go!" she said. "When is it?"  
  
   
  
John was completely shocked by her response. "Really, you wanna come? It's going to be this Saturday. We're going to go out to eat, and then we're going to go see 'Return of the Jedi.' I hope that's ok," he rambled, in complete joy.  
  
   
  
"That sounds great, I've been dying to see that movie," Jenny said.  
  
   
  
"Cool," was all John could muster.  
  
   
  
"So I guess I'll see you then. What time?" Jenny asked.  
  
   
  
"We're meeting at my house at 6:00," he said.  
  
   
  
"All right," Jenny said. "See you!" With that she walked off down the hall to her next class.  
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
John stood, frozen with a huge grin on his face. He couldn't believe it! He was happy that he had even been able to ask her without passing out. True, Chase had been the one to finally pop the question, but he had survived it nonetheless. But on top of that, she had said yes. And she had seemed excited about it. Or was it just him? Maybe she didn't really want to come, but she just didn't want to hurt his feelings. He didn't want her to do that. But on the other hand, if she didn't want to hurt his feelings, maybe she liked him and-  
  
   
  
"John. Hellllooo? Come on man, snap out of it," Chase said, pulling him toward the classroom door. "We're going to be late for Algebra." John wandered into the room, still in a state of shock. Chase rolled his eyes skyward. He liked his cousin, he really did. He was a nice guy, and decent. But sometimes, he could be such a wimp.  
  
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	2. Chapter 2

John restlessly twirled his hair around his finger. The dark curl was his only means of amusement, while waiting in anticipation for his guests to arrive. He was lounging in a large leather chair, staring at the clock as the slow seconds ticked by. The sound of footsteps running down the stairs caught his attention, and he turned his head in the direction. It was, as he suspected, his 18-year-old sister Nell. Her dark hair was pulled back in a loose pony-tail at the bottom of her neck, and she was wearing jeans and a brown jacket. She was also carrying a shiny red package.  
  
John swung himself off the chair, and ran to cut off his sister at the doorway. He slid in front of her just in time to stop her. Nell smiled and laughed. "Knew I couldn't get away from you, Scrub," she said with a grin. She didn't feel much like fighting, so she simply handed her brother his present. "Here. It's not from me. You won't get mine until it's actually your birthday. I can see right through your one week early party scheme."  
  
John carried the gift back over to the chair with him, and set it on his lap. He opened the card first. It was nicely decorated on the front with an artistic design of some sort, but no words. He turned to the inside, where a note was written in ornate cursive handwriting:  
  
Dear John,  
  
Happy 13th Birthday! I hope you have a wonderful time with your friends, your sister, and your grandparents. I'm completely finished with nursing school, and my husband is starting his Internship this fall. He's specializing in Pediatric Oncology, which I thought you'd like to know. I hope you enjoy your gift. I know you will love it. I'd love to hear from you sometime!  
  
Your Friend,  
  
Linette  
  
John smiled as he read the card. He hadn't talked to Linette much since she had gotten married and moved away to New York. She had been the first person he'd told about his decision to become a doctor. It was the summer after 4th grade, the summer after Bobby died. He saw how great Linette was as a nurse, and how wonderful all Bobby's doctors were in spite of whatever his mother may have said. And he saw how much sick people need a good doctor. He hoped he could be a good doctor someday, too.  
  
"Aren't you going to open it?" Nell asked.  
  
Without a word, John tore off the wrapping paper. It was a book. And not just any book, it was a medical dictionary. John smiled, as he opened the book and began to flip through the pages. He stopped on a random word. Hemopnuemothorax. He didn't know what that was, but he wanted to find out. Just as he began to read the definition, the doorbell rang. "I got it!" John shouted, running toward the entryway and leaving the book on the chair. He opened the door. Jenny Butler was standing there, smiling radiantly and holding a package. His heart nearly leapt into his throat. "Hey Jenny, come in," he managed.  
  
Elliot was there in a flash to take her coat. John lead Jenny into the North living room, where Nell was sitting and flipping through the pages of his book. She looked up from it and smiled. "Hi, I'm John's sister Nell. I don't think we've met. And you are?"  
  
"Jenny Butler," Jenny said.  
  
The name struck a chord of recognition in Nell. She was the one John was always babbling on about, unaware of it himself. "Nice to meet you. Well, I'd better be going. I have a study group meeting at 6:30. See ya," she said, exiting the room.  
  
With his sister gone, John suddenly felt very nervous. Jenny sat down on the couch, and he sat in a chair across from her. He tapped his foot nervously on the floor. The sound echoed in the silence. Jenny caught site of the dictionary and, interested, picked it up.  
  
"Hey, what's this?" Jenny asked.  
  
"Oh that," John said quickly. "That's nothing, just a present a friend gave me..."  
  
"I think it's awesome!" Jenny said, opening it up and turning to the first page. "Wow, you actually understand this stuff? You're really smart."  
  
"Well, I... uh.... I'm still learning it all myself but um.... I know a, a little," John stuttered.  
  
Jenny opened her mouth to add another comment, when the doorbell rang. They both stood and went to answer it. It was Chase, along with Lance, Brianna, and Nancy who had all arrived. After some commotion, the group finally settled into the living room.  
  
Chase picked up John's medical dictionary and flipped to a page. "Oh, hemorrhoids, yeah that's definitely what I want to spend my spare time reading about," Chase joked. John snatched the book from his hands, and lightly tapped his cousin on the head with it.  
  
Gamma entered the room. "John, dinner is ready," she said. The kids eagerly ran to the dining room.  
  
After dinner, the kids all insisted that John open his presents. He started with Chase's. He unwrapped the flat rectangular package. It was a stunning painting of a mountain range.  
  
"I painted it myself," Chase said.  
  
"Wow, Chase! That's beautiful!" Jenny exclaimed. "You're going to be a famous artist someday." The other kids nodded.  
  
The other presents were all the same; money. It's what kids always got each other when they didn't know what to get, or just didn't want to take the time to find something. John was not surprised, but he smiled anyway. "Thanks guys," he said.  
  
Gamma entered the room. "Well, you'd better be off to the movies," she said. "Alger is waiting for you outside."  
  
The kids scrambled toward the door. They all hopped into the backseat of the sleek black limousine. The ride to the theater was not long. They already had their tickets, so they were soon all sitting in the middle of the theater, holding large bags of popcorn.  
  
"What happened at the end of the other one? I forgot," Lance whispered.  
  
"Han was frozen in carbonite," Chase said.  
  
"And Leia declared her love for him!" Brianna burst in.  
  
All three boys groaned, and the girls giggled.  
  
Jenny grinned. "I love Han Solo. He is so cute!" The other girls all nodded in agreement, and the boys just rolled their eyes.  
  
"Shhhh! It's starting!" Chase said, quieting down the group. The now- familiar scrolling intro illuminated the screen. The audience became silent, as they read.  
  
"Another Death Star?" Lance asked in disbelief.  
  
John nodded, as he ate some popcorn. The group sat silently watching the film. John had been eagerly anticipating the release of this movie. Star Wars was popular with just about every kid at school, and that included John. Sometimes he and his friends would have debates over whether Han or Luke was cooler, what was going to happen in the next film, and was Darth Vader really Luke's father? John always argued that Luke was the coolest, while Chase took Han's side. Which made sense, considering that Chase was the more outgoing, rebellious, and charming of the two cousins.  
  
An hour or so into the movie, the whole crowd was buzzing.  
  
"Luke and Leia are twins?" Nancy said in disbelief.  
  
"Ewwww, and they kissed each other!" Lance added. Sounds of disgust arose from all the kids in the group. A little while later, a tribe of fuzzy bear-like creatures filled the screen.  
  
"This is lame," Chase grumbled. "Han would have just blasted them all, if that whinny Luke hadn't have been there." Several of the kids murmured their agreement.  
  
"That wouldn't work, Chase," John insisted. "They need their help."  
  
Chase sighed. "That's not the point, John. The point is, this is supposed to be a major battle, and now it's going to be filled with overgrown teddy bears. It totally ruined the movie, man." Chase paused for a moment, then grinned. "Hey, I have an idea. Let's sneak into the other theater. 'WarGames' is playing!"  
  
"Oh! Matthew Broderick is in that movie!" Jenny exclaimed. "He's cute!"  
  
"Yeah, that sounds like an awesome idea," Brianna added.  
  
"Guys!" John interrupted. "We can't do that. It's illegal, we didn't pay for the tickets."  
  
"Oh come on John," Chase said. "It's not like it's some huge crime. Besides, what are they gonna do, arrest us? We're only 13! And anything's better than sitting here and watching a bunch of bears."  
  
"But don't you want to see how the movie ends?" John asked.  
  
"We can watch it when it comes out on video. Then we can fast forward through the boring parts," Chase argued.  
  
"I don't know, Chase. I just don't think it's a good idea," John said.  
  
"Fine. You can stay here," Chase said. "Everyone who wants to have a good time and isn't worried about following all the rules, come with me." He stood and began to leave. Lance, Brianna, and Nancy followed him immediately.  
  
Jenny looked at John, and bit her lip. "I really want to go see 'WarGames', John. But I don't want to leave you here," she said.  
  
"No, it's fine," John said. "Go ahead."  
  
"Really? Ok, well, um. I guess, bye," she said hesitantly, as she walked out of the theater.  
  
John watched her go, then turned his attention back to the screen.  
  
An hour later, both movies had finished. Parents were arriving at the theater to pick up all the guests. Lance, Brianna, and Nancy left without so much as a parting word to their host. Some friends, John thought. John sat on a bench outside the theater, watching as Chase and Jenny flirted back and forth. He sighed. Of course that was the way it worked out. Why would any girl pick Luke Skywalker when she could have Han Solo? It wasn't like he wanted to be like that. He just didn't want to get in trouble. Jenny's mom finally came to pick her up.  
  
"Good night, John," Jenny said, waving to him. "'Night Chase!" she said, with a grin. She got in the car with her mother and drove away.  
  
Chase strolled over and sat down on the bench next to John. "So, how was the movie? What happened?" Chase asked curiously.  
  
John had a tremendous urge not to tell his cousin, but he decided to anyway. "Well, Luke gives himself up to Vader, and they go back to see the Emperor. Vader and Luke have his big fight, and in the end Luke stops fighting. So the Emperor, he starts shocking Luke with this weird lightning stuff. Then Vader picks the Emperor up and throws him down a shaft, and he explodes." He explained.  
  
"Woah, cool!" Chase exclaimed. "What happened to the Death Star?"  
  
"Well, Vader is about to die so he tells Luke to take his mask off," John said. "It was weird, he was this old bald guy. So anyway, then he tells Luke that he was right about him still having some good left in him, then he dies. Luke escapes from the Death Star just in time, because Lando and Wedge blow it up."  
  
"Awesome!" Chase exclaimed. "Bet that was a cool battle."  
  
"Yeah. Oh, and Leia tells Han about Luke being her brother, and then they kiss," John added.  
  
Chase smirked. "Han Solo is the man," he said.  
  
There was a silence, then John asked. "So, um, how was your movie?"  
  
"Pretty cool, I guess," Chase said. Another silence followed, and was only broken by the glare of headlights. Chase squinted, and looked over to see his Father's car. "Well, I gotta go. See you at school. Hey, only one more week left!" he shouted to his cousin, as he climbed in his BMW.  
  
"See ya," John said, waving unenthusiastically. The car drove off, and he was left alone. It wasn't long before Alger showed up.  
  
"How was your evening?" Alger asked him.  
  
"It was great," John lied. He climbed in the backseat of the limousine and they began to drive home. A curly lock of hair fell in his face, and he brushed it back, annoyed. "Stupid hair," he grumbled. He didn't even like his hair this way. The only reason he had actually gotten in permed again was because Jenny said she liked it. That was a lie. He knew that now. He was right in the first place. Jenny didn't like him, she just didn't want to hurt his feelings. Then there was Chase. John liked Chase, he could just be annoying sometimes. Or maybe he was just jealous. Chase was so cool, so popular, and had tons of friends. John didn't have any of those things, and maybe he was just trying to hard. He would never have those things. He felt so stupid and foolish for thinking that he could be like his cousin. In the end, John convinced himself, Chase was always going to be better off than him.  
  
"We're home," Alger called out from the cab.  
  
John sniffed. "Thanks," he said quietly, trying not to cry. He hurried inside, and up to his room. "Some birthday," he whispered to himself. Then he did cry.  
  
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	3. Chapter 3

Thursday, June 2, 1983  
  
John sat silently in his black suit, trying not to fidget too much. He had never been to a graduation before, and now he was glad that he hadn't. It wasn't exactly the most exciting event. But he was there for Nell. There were hundreds of other well-dressed people sitting around him. Gamma and his Grandfather were sitting to his left, and to his right there were two empty seats. They were reserved for his parents. It had been six months since he had seen them last. They had been planning to come home mid- May and stay all the way through June. Of course, that plan hadn't lasted long. They had called and said they were terribly sorry, but they were only going to be able to stay a week. Then a week became four days, and then three. They planned on arriving early that morning and leaving Saturday night, on John's birthday.  
  
Gamma looked over at the empty seats and sighed in aggravation. Things had become very tense between herself, her son, and her daughter-in- law lately. She was constantly begging them to come home, and they were constantly distancing themselves from the rest of their family. She looked at her watch, and gave her husband a worried look.  
  
"I'm sure they'll be here," John Sr. said.  
  
On stage, the graduates had been filing across for 20 minutes or so. "Henry Cameron," the announcer said. The boy received his diploma, as his family clapped for him. "Lisa Candington." Nell was now only one person away from the platform. "George Carrier." Nell was next, and her parents had still not arrived. "Eleanor Carter," the announcer said. Nell hesitated a moment, then walked across the stage and received her diploma. Her family and the rest of the crowd clapped politely. A quick scan showed her that her parents were not there. She frowned, then went to sit with her fellow classmates.  
  
Gamma gave her husband a pointed look, to which he could only shake his head.  
  
John also noted the empty seat beside him. He was infuriated for his sister, and he knew she must be, too. This was her high school graduation, something that only happened once in a person's life. And her parents had missed it. John had tried to tell himself, when he was younger, that his parents really cared about him and Nell more than money and more than traveling. Now he was almost 13, and much wiser. He saw his parents in the light of what they really were. And he did not like it at all.  
  
The announcer was to 'Frederick Listow" when Jack and Eleanor finally arrived. Gamma held her tongue and said nothing, for the moment. Jack sat down next to John.  
  
"Sorry we're late. We had to take a later flight out of Venice and it cost us a couple of hours," Jack said.  
  
"You missed it," John said tersely.  
  
"Oh," was all Jack could manage. Eleanor did not even look at her son, whom she hadn't seen in half a year. She just sat staring icily at the stage.  
  
After the ceremony, the family rode home for the customary party. Many of Nell's friends stopped by and offered words of encouragement and well-wishes to her. The majority of the party guests were her parents' friends and business acquaintances, as usual.  
  
John was bored out of his mind, and was very grateful when the party finally ended. He immediately changed out of his suit into sweatpants and a T-shirt. He wandered down the stairs, and stopped when he heard the sound of voices coming from the sitting room to his right. He slowly approached the door, not sure if he wanted to make his presence known and risk getting sucked into another argument. The door was closed, so he pressed his ear to it. He could clearly hear the voices, for they were shouting quite loudly.  
  
"We said we were sorry Nell. I don't know what else to say," Jack said.  
  
"Of course you're sorry. You're always sorry!" Nell shouted back.  
  
"That's no way to speak to your father," Eleanor said calmly.  
  
"My father? My father! How can you call yourselves my parents? You're not here. You don't know anything . You don't know anything about me or what I want to do with my life. And you don't even care, do you?"  
  
"Nell, of course we care," Jack said, getting a little irritated.  
  
"Oh really?" Nell snapped. "Then where am I going to college?"  
  
"Switzerland," Eleanor answered calmly.  
  
"all right, and what am I majoring in?" There was an awkward pause from both her parents. John let out a sigh. They really didn't care. He tried to convince himself they cared at least a little, but they didn't. They dismissed his wanting to be a doctor, too. The memory of Bobby hung over both of them and clouded their every thought; his mother more than his father. "Architecture. I'm going to be an architect," Nell said from inside the room.  
  
Another pause. "Well that's wonderful dear. We're very happy for you," Jack said trying to sound enthusiastic.  
  
Nell let out a furious breath. "No you're not! Nothing's ever going to make you happy. There's only one thing that could ever make you happy, and that's impossible. It's not going to happen!" No one had to voice what that one thing was, because everyone knew. But Jack and Eleanor refused to believe it was a problem. The sound of someone stomping toward the door startled John. He quickly tried to get away from the door, and just barely missed it hitting him when it was flung open in anger. Nell burst through it, on the verge of tears.  
  
"Nell," John said. But his sister shoved past him, and headed straight for the stairs. He hurried after her, shouting her name. Gamma had heard all the noise and came into the front hall. She arrived in time to see Nell and John leaving, and drew her own conclusions. She took a deep breath to calm herself before entering the room with Jack and Eleanor.  
  
John knocked on the door to his sister's room. After a minute, the door unlocked and opened. John entered to see his sister crying. She walked over to her drawer, and continued stuffing her things into a suitcase. She stopped and turned around and headed for her window sill, where she sat down. John sat down next to her. "You ok?" he asked.  
  
She sniffed. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine," she said.  
  
John searched for a moment for something to say. "I'm proud of you," he finally said.  
  
She laughed through her tears. "For what?"  
  
"For graduating. But mostly, for standing up to Mom and Dad."  
  
Nell looked at her brother. He was a lot smarter and a lot more perceptive than he looked. "Yeah well, you just make sure you don't let them drag you down. You're too good for that."  
  
"They're good people, Nell. Their just.... confused."  
  
"Maybe," Nell said. "But you would think that after 4 years..." she trailed off.  
  
"Doesn't it still make you sad to think about it?" John asked.  
  
"Of course it does. But you have to face the facts. Of course I'm sad that Bobby died, but there's a point where you just need to move on."  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right," John said.  
  
"Well, the only good thing about them being gone is that we don't have to deal with them much."  
  
John looked at the ground. "I still wish they were home more," he said quietly.  
  
"I'll just be glad when I'm away from this place for good. Then I won't have to deal with them or this stupid family ever again," Nell said.  
  
"Were you packing?" John asked.  
  
Nell nodded. "Yeah. Yeah I talked to the university in Switzerland last week, and they set me up with a family there that is willing to let me stay at their house over the summer so I can learn Swiss and French. Which is great, because it gets me away from this whole family. The sooner the better."  
  
"That's great," John said, with false enthusiasm.  
  
"Hey," Nell said, wrapping an arm around her little brother's shoulder. "I'm gonna miss you, Scrub." He looked over at her, them put his head on her shoulder and cried.  
  
Half an hour later, Nell and thought it would be safe to go downstairs. She knocked on the door to the room where her parents had been, hoping they would not walk in on another argument.  
  
"Come in," Jack's voice said.  
  
She entered to find him alone in the room. "Hi," she said.  
  
"Hello Nell," he said, attempting a smile.  
  
"Um, Dad? Can I talk to you for a minute?" She asked.  
  
"Sure," he said.  
  
She settled into a seat across from him. She took a moment to think of how she was going to say this. "Dad, I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to Switzerland."  
  
"I know, dear. I think it's wonderful-"  
  
"This Sunday," she said, cutting him off.  
  
He sat silently for a moment. "Oh," he said finally.  
  
"I mean, I know it won't matter much to you but I don't know how to tell Gamma."  
  
"Well of course it matters to me. It'll be a shame not to be able to see you when we come home for visits." He saw Nell's skeptic glance. "Oh, I know we don't come home much. It's just, we have to travel a lot. For the business."  
  
Nell was trying her hardest to be reasonable. Her father had always had just the smallest amount of sympathy and understanding for his children, where as their mother had none. "Dad, I know the family business is important to you. I'm sorry that I can't take over eventually it's just that I don't think I'm cut out for it."  
  
"That's all right, Nell. It would probably be best for John to take over it anyway."  
  
Nell's face fell. "Dad, you know how much he wants to be a doctor."  
  
"Oh honey, that's just a phase. All kids go through them. I remember when I wanted to be an astronaut for goodness sakes! If every kid got to become whatever he wanted, there'd never be anyone with any sensible jobs!"  
  
"It's not a phase! He's good at science, and he's got a good heart. It's what he wants to do. And he's not a kid. He's going to be 13 in two days. You and mom have to stop treating him like he's a child. I know he's the youngest, but he understands a lot more than you give him credit for."  
  
"Nell, I've talked this over with your Grandparents, and they agree that John should take over. I know it seems like a long way off, but Grandpa's going to be retiring in just a few years and John's going to have to start college in four."  
  
"Why can't someone else take over? Why can't Chase?" Nell asked.  
  
"Chase is a nice boy," Jack said. "But he's never going to be as smart as your brother. And besides, it's tradition for the family business to be passed on through the oldest son, not to the oldest nephew. It just wouldn't be right."  
  
Now Nell was mad. She had heard all these excuses before but they had never hit home until now. Before she had always been there to defend her little brother, but she was afraid that with her gone he would give in to whatever the oppressive family wanted. She hated to see that happen. "Who cares about tradition? This is someone's life we're talking about!"  
  
Jack just shook his head. "I'm sorry honey. I wish it could be different. I wish Bobby was still alive and could take over like he wanted to but things change."  
  
"Yeah Dad, things change," Nell said quietly. "So why can't tradition change?" she stood up silently, and left her father sitting on the couch, deep in thought.  
  
That night, John had a dream. In his dream, the doctor's had been able to save Bobby from the leukemia, and he was still alive. Jack and Eleanor still lived with them, and didn't travel around the world. Gamma and Grandpa visited, and the whole family laughed and talked together like a normal family. Bobby and Nell and John teased each other, and got in little skirmishes. Just like normal siblings. Bobby was planning on taking over the family business, Nell was planning on staying in Chicago to go to college, and John was going to be a doctor. And everyone was happy. Suddenly, the dream changed. It was John's 13th birthday, and the whole family was visiting Bobby's grave. Eleanor got in a huge argument, and Nell drove away. Gamma and Eleanor got in a fight, and she and John Sr. left. Then Eleanor decided it was too painful to be near Bobby's grave, and she left too.  
  
Jack was left with John. He turned to his son. "You're going to have to run the business, son," he said.  
  
Inside John was screaming 'No, I don't want to run the business Dad. I want to be a doctor. I want to help people like the doctor's who helped Bobby. Maybe someday I could make a difference, save someone and save their family from this.' That was what he wanted to say. But he looked around, and no one was there to support him. Nell had escaped, and he found himself wishing he could too. Gamma was always sympathetic toward him, but she could no longer stand having to deal with his parents. He looked helplessly up at his father.  
  
"You'll do a good job, won't you son?" Jack asked.  
  
John had nowhere to turn, no one to support him. He swallowed, and forced a smile. "Sure Dad. Whatever you want," he said.  
  
John sat up in his bed, suddenly awake. He looked at the clock. 3:30. Why in the world was he awake at 3:30 in the morning? Then he remembered his dream. The feeling of helplessness was growing. He knew what his parents wanted, and he knew what he wanted. The question was, who was right? And if he was right, how was he going to convince them of that? 


	4. Chapter 4

Saturday, June 4th, 1983  
  
Sunlight filtered in the second story window of the Carter mansion. The light shone into John's eyes brightly, begging him to wake up. He stirred slightly, then moaned and rolled over. He rubbed his eyes, and slowly opened them to look at the clock. It was 9:30. He stretched slowly, then rolled back over. He silently wondered what day it was. Saturday, that was it. Not that it mattered. School was out, he was free... Saturday? There was something special about that day that he just couldn't put his finger on. Suddenly it struck him, and he leapt out of bed, his weariness suddenly gone. Once in the hall, he could hear the sound of dishes clinking downstairs and of his Grandparents laughing and talking. He stumbled down the stairs and reached the dinning room in record time.  
  
"Ah, good morning John!" his Grandfather said with a pleasant smile. "We'd almost thought you'd forgotten."  
  
"Almost did," John said, running his hand through his dark curls.  
  
Gamma patted the seat next to her. "Come here, have some breakfast," she said.  
  
John decided that sounded nice, and before long the cook was serving him with a full meal. It was good as always, but John was anxious to get on with the day. It was a well known fact that birthday's always brought about big surprises in the Carter household, and especially monumental ones such as becoming a teenager. That thought made John smile a little. He was a teenager, though he didn't really look or feel any different. It just officially made him no longer a little boy.  
  
"So," John began.  
  
His Grandfather looked up from reading the paper. "So?" he asked, playing dumb.  
  
"Come on Gramps!" John pleaded. "When do I get to get it.... you know, my present?"  
  
His Grandparents exchanged mischievous glances. Gamma finally sighed, "Oh come on now. Just let him get his present."  
  
"I want to wait until his parents are here," John Sr. said. The irritation in Gamma's face was clear, and it was obvious that she was on the verge of another of her famous rants.  
  
"That's ok ," John quickly said. "I can wait."  
  
John Sr. smiled. "See, already he's turning into such a good gentleman."  
  
"Indeed," a cheerful voice said from the other side of the room. John turned to see Nell. "Hey Scrub, Happy 13th Birthday!" she said, handing him a decorated bag.  
  
"Hey, thanks Nell!" John said happily.  
  
"Go ahead, open it!" Nell urged him.  
  
John looked to Gamma, who nodded, then proceeded to open the package. He took the paper from the top of the sack out, and peered inside. His face showed confusion when he saw what was inside. He slowly reached in, and pulled out a bag of carrots. "Thanks Nell," he said, perplexed. Nell just laughed. "What?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, you'll find out," she said with a grin.  
  
A surprise. John hated waiting for surprises. He spent the next 20 minutes waiting for his parents to arrive. It seemed like he had been waiting forever when his parents entered the kitchen.  
  
"Happy Birthday, son," Jack said, with a bright smile. He handed John a small box. He quickly opened it, to reveal an expensive watch.  
  
"Thanks," John said, trying not to sound too disappointed. There was a pause, in which the entire family exchanged secretive looks. "What?" John asked, suspiciously.  
  
Gamma sighed. "All right, he's waited long enough now," she said.  
  
"Right," Jack said. "Come on, there's one more present."  
  
Jack lead the entire procession who, except for Eleanor who was in a perpetual state of apathy, were practically overflowing with excitement. The group headed outside, to the old barn which hadn't been in use since before John was born. Jack stopped at the entrance, and so did everyone else.  
  
"Well, aren't you going to go in?" John Sr. asked.  
  
John looked to his father, who nodded his approval. John slowly crept into the barn, with his family watching behind him. As soon as he entered, he noticed a movement in the corner. He froze. "Hello?" he said, feeling a bit foolish. There was another movement, then the sunlight streaming in through the open door illuminated John's gift. It was a horse. Not just any horse, either. A beautiful thoroughbred mare, with a rich chestnut coat and a long jet mane and tail. When she saw John, she stopped.  
  
"Hey, shhhhh. It's ok," John said softly, not wanting to scare the horse. He turned his head slowly toward his father, who grinned at him.  
  
"She's all yours," Jack said. "Top of the line. Wonderful bloodlines."  
  
John turned back to the horse, and noticed that she had a halter on. For the first time, he saw Elliot standing in the shadows holding the lead rope. "Can I bring her out?" John asked. Elliot nodded, handing John the rope. Slowly, the entire group, including the horse, stepped out into the pasture. John reached up and stroked the mare's neck. "What's her name?" he asked.  
  
"She doesn't have one," Jack said.  
  
"Her Sire was named Infinite Sky," John Sr. added.  
  
John bit his lower lip thoughtfully. He knew a little about horses, but he wasn't sure what a good name for a horse would be. He desperately scanned the scenery around him, until his eye landed on a patch of bright yellow and orange flowers. "Marigold," he said. "That's what I'll name her."  
  
"Infinite Sky's Marigold," Nell said, testing it out. She smiled. "I like it."  
  
"Hey, now I get what the carrots were for..." John said as realization dawned on him.  
  
"Here," Nell pulled two carrots out of her pocket, and handed one to John.  
  
John held it in front of Marigold, and she quickly accepted it. He grinned, and Nell stepped up slowly next to him. "Go ahead," he said. Nell fed Marigold the other carrot, and ran a hand down her side.  
  
"She's beautiful," Nell said softly.  
  
"Yeah," John replied. He turned around, seeing his Grandfather, Gamma, and his Father all smiling broadly. His mother's lips even entertained a small smile. "This is the best present ever," he said. "Thank you."  
  
"Would you like to ride her?" Jack asked.  
  
John looked down to notice for the first time that he was still in his pajamas. "In this? That's ok, I'll give her some time to get used to it here."  
  
"Well," Gamma said happily. "It's getting fairly warm out here. Who would like to go inside for some tea?" Everyone murmured their assent, and began to head inside. Gamma paused, and looked back at her grandson who was, along with Elliot, brushing out Marigold's coat. "John, just come in when you're ready," she said. He waved, and nodded, then turned his attention back to Marigold.  
  
John eventually came inside, but after dinner he headed back out to the barn. That's where Nell found him. John saw his sister enter, and smiled. "Hey Nell," he said cheerfully.  
  
Nell's face remained solemn. She slowly walked over to where John was standing next to Marigold. John handed her the brush, and she began to smooth the thoroughbred's coat. She drew in a deep breath, and slowly let it out. She didn't know how to say what she was about to say. John waited silently. "I got a call from the family in Switzerland," she said.  
  
"Cool. What'd they say?" John asked.  
  
"They said that I can come stay with them and they'd love to help me learn Swiss and French before I start school," she paused. "I leave tonight," she had finally said it, but she kept her eyes glued on the animal in front of her, not wanting to look at her brother.  
  
There was a long silence. John was stunned. Nell was 18, and that was usually the age when people started to set out on their own. But Switzerland. It was so far away. The family would hardly ever see her again, and of course that was why she was going there. John had known about it for a while, but he wasn't sure whether or not she would go through with it. Apparently she was.  
  
Nell continued, "My cab to the airport is going to be here in about half an hour." John just nodded slowly, but didn't look up. "Now let's go inside." The two of them walked to the house in silence. They entered through the front door, to find the whole family waiting in the entryway. Eleanor gave her daughter a cool gaze, then turned and walked off.  
  
"Well," Jack said. "Good luck." He enveloped his daughter in a hug, which she returned. Jack was a good man, he just allowed himself to get sucked into things. Her grandfather also gave her a hug and wished her the best. Then she came to Gamma.  
  
"You're going to make a great architect," Gamma said. "Now you just behave yourself. And call me if you ever need advice on men," she said with a grin and a wink.  
  
Nell couldn't help but laugh. "Of course I will," she said, giving Gamma a hug.  
  
John had been biting his lip the whole time to keep from crying. He was a teenager now, and he didn't want anyone to think he couldn't handle whatever life threw his way. He was stubborn like that. He finally mustered up the courage to look at his sister. Nell grinned, and ruffled his hair like she always did.  
  
"You stay out of trouble, Scrub," she said.  
  
"I'll try," John responded.  
  
There was a pause, then Nell pulled her brother into a hug. They hugged for a few moments, then Nell pulled back. A tear ran down her face as she said, "I'm going to miss you."  
  
"I'll miss you too," John said, as he started to cry. Suddenly, bright headlights shone in through the front window, and a car pulled up to the drive.  
  
"Well," Nell said, wiping her tears away. "That's my cab." Elliot opened the door for her, and started loading her bags into the trunk. When everything was loaded up, he opened the back door for Nell. She put one foot in, then stopped, and turned toward the house. "Good-bye everyone," she called.  
  
"Good-bye Nell!" John Sr. called back, with a wave.  
  
"Good-bye," Gamma said, with a melancholy smile. She was glad her granddaughter was escaping her parents, but she was sad to see her go. And on some level, she was upset that Nell was running away from her problems, instead of facing them. After all, the family had done her a lot of good, too, and would continue to do so by supplying her with fund for college. But she and Nell had had all these discussions already, and Gamma's policy was always to let people make their own decisions, good or bad.  
  
"Bye," John said quietly.  
  
"Good-bye John," Nell called back, with sorrow in her voice. She stood looking at the house for a moment. The house she had grown up in. Through good times and bad. The people that were once her family. Some of them who never had any right to call themselves her family, who were never there. And there were her grandparents, who meant well, but would never abandon their aristocratic life. Finally, she took one last look at her brother, and realized it might be years before she saw him again. What would he be like? Would he still have the same obstinate determination, or would the oppressive Carter family drain it from him? Nell thought, and hoped, that he would someday escape the family. All he had to do was hang on for another 4 years, and then he would be out of high school and he could go wherever he wanted, become a doctor. He would make a great doctor. He was smart, hard-working, and caring. He was going to make it. She felt bad leaving him, but she knew that he would make it. Just 4 more years, she told herself. He'll leave then for sure. As she climbed into the cab, and drove away, she felt assured that John would be ok. What she didn't know was that, stubborn as he was, he was in danger of his caring side getting the best of him, and getting himself dragged into the family problems. The cab pulled out of the drive, and carried another person out of the Carter family oppression. But it left behind a scared and confused 13-year-old boy. 


End file.
